Summary

War memorial by C J Dawson FRIBA, 1922, in Barking Park. Additional details added after the Second World War.

Description

Materials: Portland stone, bronze, marble.

Description: the memorial stands in the rond point of a path in the North-West part of Barking Park. It comprises a three-stepped flagstone pavement with a centrally positioned pylon and curved, flanking, walls. The 3m tall pylon features a centrally-positioned stone laurel wreath carved in relief which is flanked by the inscribed and gilt dates 1914 1918. A plaque is fixed below the wreath and reads IN GRATITUDE TO ALL/ WHO SERVED, AND IN HONOUR/ OF THE MEN OF BARKING WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR. Inscribed and gilded below this plaque are the dates 1939-1945.

The 3m tall flanking walls, bearing carved and gilt inscriptions, end in terminal piers. The walls carry 14 bronze name plaques. On the rear of the pylon an inscription reads THIS MAST WITH FLAGS WAS PRESENTED TO THE TOWN OF BARKING BY/ ARTHUR W. SMITH, ESQ., ON THE CONCLUSION OF PEACE AS A TOKEN OF/ REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE OF OUR TOWN WHO SERVED IN HIS MAJESTY'S FORCES/ DURING THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-18 OF WHOM MANY WERE WOUNDED AND/ OTHERS GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY BEING THE MEANS OF SAVING/ OUR NATION AND EMPIRE, PROTECTING US AND OUR HOMES AND STANDING/ FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE WORLD./ JULY 19 1919 This inscription refers to a flagpole on the central pylon, which was part of the original design but is now missing.

History

The war memorial, in remembrance of the men of Barking lost in the First World War, was unveiled by the Reverend Avison Terry Scott on 25 March 1922 and dedicated by the Suffragan Bishop of Barking. It was designed by distinguished local architect C J Dawson FRIBA (1850-1933). Dawson was the consultant architect to Barking Borough Council between 1899 and 1923 and was responsible for the design of Barking Park and its boating lake. The memorial masons were Messrs Samuel Baymouth & Sons and it was constructed by local builder J Clement.

Originally the names were incised into stone tablets, but due to weathering these had become illegible by 1992, when a new plaque was added to honour the lost names. A further plaque was added in October 2000 and 14 bronze plaques with enamelled lettering, to replace the original name tablets, were unveiled at a re-dedication service on 5 August 2001. Following research, an additional 385 names were added to the memorial at this time.

Reasons for Listing

Barking Park War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: as the work of a notable local architect, C J Dawson.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677085

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)